The federal grants will be used to hire more police officers.
WASHINGTON -- The Camden County police department, whose community policing program has been praised by both President Obama and Gov. Chris Christie, will get $2.2 million to hire additional officers under the federal Community Oriented Policing Services program.
The award was announced Monday by the U.S. Justice Department. Camden, which received $3.2 million under the COPS program last year, was one of four New Jersey departments receiving federal grants. The money will allow the county to hire 15 officers. The other three New Jersey departments getting federal funds are the East Orange police, which is getting $1.5 million for 12 officers; and the Essex County sheriff's office and Wildwood police, each of which is getting $750,000 for six officers.
"These awards will not only keep more officers on the beat -- they will address specific issue areas like violent crime, school safety, homeland security, and community trust," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in announcing a total of $107 million in grants.
Obama visited Camden in May to highlight the improvements in the city's crime rate, the increased number of police on the streets, and the relationships that the officers built with community residents. The trip came at a time when several unarmed black men in other cities were killed in confrontations with police officers.
EARLIER: Obama calls Camden a 'symbol of promise for the nation'
"I've come here to Camden to do something that might have been unthinkable just a few years ago -- and that's to hold you up as a symbol of promise for the nation," Obama said.
Christie also has cited Camden's successes as he seeks the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He held a campaign stop there in July.
"Peace on our streets is more than just the absence of violence," Christie said at the time. "Justice isn't something we can jail our way to. Justice is something we have to build in our communities."
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.